Airship



March 19, 1929. A. SCHAEFER AIRSHIP Filed July 12, 1928 @ttozmew "than air type 0 the carrying capacity of the usual airplane Patented Max:219, 1929.

UNITED STATES ALFONS SCHAEFER, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YQRK.

AIRSHIP.

Application filed July 12,

This invention relates to aircraft and more particularly to craft of-the lighter than air t 'e. l ersons skilled in the art have advanced. the opinion that the commercial success of aviation ultimatel depends upon the lighter f craft for the reason that is so limited as to render the heavier than air machine impractical for wide use. Also, the lighter than air machine is safer and inasmuch as safety is the predominating factor in aviation, engineers are developing lighter than air machines which embody many of the principles of the airplane.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a lighter than air machine which is safer than the heavier'than air machine of'the same power and at the same time has n greater carrying capacity. A further object is the provision of a flying machine with an enclosed engine.

These and other objects are attained by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawing, constituting a material part pf this disclosure, and in which Figure 1 is a side view of the flying machine.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the machine. a

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2. I

Referring to the drawings, the flying machine is shown to have a plurality of longitudinal ribs 4, preferably made from a light metal. These ribs are joined at the forward end of the machine by a nose plate 5 and the forward section is covered by thin sheet metal 5, while the rear end of the ribs 4 are joined by a nose 6 and the rear section covered by metal 6'.

Several of the upper ribs4 are bent at 7 to form a cabin to accommodate the seat 8 and various control devices, (not shown), while the metal sheet 5' is deflected upward to form a windshield 9.

Adjacent the tail 10 and encompassed by the ribs 4 is a gas tight chamber 11 which is filled with a gas having a specific gravity less than air.v A similar chamber 12, in the forward end of the machine is also filled with such a gas.

In the rear of the seat 8 is a artition 13 which sets 011: a compartment 14 eneath the 1928. Serial No. 292,161.

seat in which baggage and other things may be stored.

In the rear of partition 13 is mounted the engine 15 having a propeller 16, the engine being covered by a metal sheet 17, which has a plurality of conical portions 18 open at their bases.

operation air passes through the conical portions 18 to the propeller 16 and is deflected outwardly by the conical nose 20, WhlCll is mounted on the wall 19.

From the above description it will be seen that there has been provided aflying machine which 1s lighter than air, consequently safer than the usual heavier than air machine and in which the motor is protected from rain, snow and other elements disadvantageous to its proper operation. The machine herein disclosed has a greater carrying capacity than the usual airplane, and a less powerful motor may be used, since the motor is used only for the purpose of driving the machine forward.

he foregoing disclosure is to be regarded as descriptive and illustrative only and not as restrictive or limitative of the invention,

of which obviously an embodiment may be constructed, including many modifications,

without departing from the general scope herein indicated and denoted in the appended claims.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire t ters Patent, is

1. An airship comprising a frame having secure by Leta plurality of longitudinal metal ribs, chamer.

bers mounted in the forward and rear ends of the frame, said chambers being filled with a gas having a specific gravity less than air, an engine mounted within the frame and cov-,

ered by a metal sheet, said metal sheet having openconical portions through which air may be directed to the propeller of the engine, and a conical nose mounted in the frame immediately behind the propeller to deflect the air outwardly after it has passed the propeller.

2. A flying machine comprising a frame having a plurality of metal ribs, chambers filled with a gas of less specific gravity than air mounted in the frame, partitions in the frame to form a compartment for carrying baggage, an engine mounted behind said compartment, means to direct air to the propeller of the engine, and a conical nose adjacent the the pro eller to deflect. the air outwardly after it as passed the said propeller.

3. A flying machine comprising a frame of light metal having a plurality of longituclinel ribs, several of the upper ribs being bent to; form a passenger cabin, partitions 5 in the frame to provide a baggage carrying compartment, chambers filled with a gas of less specific gravity than air mounted in the forward and rear ends of the frame, and means to control the path of air to and from the propeller 0f the engine. 10

In Witness whereof I have affixed my signature.

ALFQNS SOHAEFER. 

